Urantia Book Paper 146 First Preaching Tour Of Galilee
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                 Paper 146 First Preaching Tour Of Galilee

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Introduction

THE first public preaching tour of Galilee began on Sunday, January 18, A.D.
28, and continued for about two months, ending with the return to Capernaum on
March 17. On this tour Jesus and the twelve apostles, assisted by the former
apostles of John, preached the gospel and baptized believers in Rimmon,
Jotapata, Ramah, Zebulun, Iron, Gischala, Chorazin, Madon, Cana, Nain, and
Endor. In these cities they tarried and taught, while in many other smaller
towns they proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom as they passed through.

This was the first time Jesus permitted his associates to preach without
restraint. On this tour he cautioned them on only three occasions; he
admonished them to remain away from Nazareth and to be discreet when passing
through Capernaum and Tiberias. It was a source of great satisfaction to the
apostles at last to feel they were at liberty to preach and teach without
restriction, and they threw themselves into the work of preaching the gospel,
ministering to the sick, and baptizing believers, with great earnestness and
joy.

1. PREACHING AT RIMMON

The small city of Rimmon had once been dedicated to the worship of a Babylonian
god of the air, Ramman. Many of the earlier Babylonian and later Zoroastrian
teachings were still embraced in the beliefs of the Rimmonites; therefore did
Jesus and the twenty-four devote much of their time to the task of making plain
the difference between these older beliefs and the new gospel of the kingdom.
Peter here preached one of the great sermons of his early career on "Aaron and
the Golden Calf."

Although many of the citizens of Rimmon became believers in Jesus' teachings,
they made great trouble for their brethren in later years. It is difficult to
convert nature worshipers to the full fellowship of the adoration of a
spiritual ideal during the short space of a single lifetime.

Many of the better of the Babylonian and Persian ideas of light and darkness,
good and evil, time and eternity, were later incorporated in the doctrines of
so-called Christianity, and their inclusion rendered the Christian teachings
more immediately acceptable to the peoples of the Near East. In like manner,
the inclusion of many of Plato's theories of the ideal spirit or invisible
patterns of all things visible and material, as later adapted by Philo to the
Hebrew theology, made Paul's Christian teachings more easy of acceptance by the
western Greeks.

It was at Rimmon that Todan first heard the gospel of the kingdom, and he later
carried this message into Mesopotamia and far beyond. He was among the first to
preach the good news to those who dwelt beyond the Euphrates.

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2. AT JOTAPATA

While the common people of Jotapata heard Jesus and his apostles gladly and
many accepted the gospel of the kingdom, it was the discourse of Jesus to the
twenty-four on the second evening of their sojourn in this small town that
distinguishes the Jotapata mission. Nathaniel was confused in his mind about
the Master's teachings concerning prayer, thanksgiving, and worship, and in
response to his question Jesus spoke at great length in further explanation of
his teaching. Summarized in modern phraseology, this discourse may be presented
as emphasizing the following points:

1. The conscious and persistent regard for iniquity in the heart of man
gradually destroys the prayer connection of the human soul with the spirit
circuits of communication between man and his Maker. Naturally God hears the
petition of his child, but when the human heart deliberately and persistently
harbors the concepts of iniquity, there gradually ensues the loss of personal
communion between the earth child and his heavenly Father.

2. That prayer which is inconsistent with the known and established laws of God
is an abomination to the Paradise Deities. If man will not listen to the Gods
as they speak to their creation in the laws of spirit, mind, and matter, the
very act of such deliberate and conscious disdain by the creature turns the
ears of spirit personalities away from hearing the personal petitions of such
lawless and disobedient mortals. Jesus quoted to his apostles from the Prophet
Zechariah: "But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and
stopped their ears that they should not hear. Yes, they made their hearts
adamant like a stone, lest they should hear my law and the words which I sent
by my spirit through the prophets; therefore did the results of their evil
thinking come as a great wrath upon their guilty heads. And so it came to pass
that they cried for mercy, but there was no ear open to hear." And then Jesus
quoted the proverb of the wise man who said: "He who turns away his ear from
hearing the divine law, even his prayer shall be an abomination."

3. By opening the human end of the channel of the God-man communication,
mortals make immediately available the ever-flowing stream of divine ministry
to the creatures of the worlds. When man hears God's spirit speak within the
human heart, inherent in such an experience is the fact that God simultaneously
hears that man's prayer. Even the forgiveness of sin operates in this same
unerring fashion. The Father in heaven has forgiven you even before you have
thought to ask him, but such forgiveness is not available in your personal
religious experience until such a time as you forgive your fellow men. God's
forgiveness in fact is not conditioned upon your forgiving your fellows, but in
experience it is exactly so conditioned. And this fact of the synchrony of
divine and human forgiveness was thus recognized and linked together in the
prayer which Jesus taught the apostles.

4. There is a basic law of justice in the universe which mercy is powerless to
circumvent. The unselfish glories of Paradise are not possible of reception by
a thoroughly selfish creature of the realms of time and space. Even the
infinite love of God cannot force the salvation of eternal survival upon any
mortal creature who does not choose to survive. Mercy has great latitude of
bestowal,

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but, after all, there are mandates of justice which even love combined with
mercy cannot effectively abrogate. Again Jesus quoted from the Hebrew
scriptures: "I have called and you refused to hear; I stretched out my hand,
but no man regarded. You have set at naught all my counsel, and you have
rejected my reproof, and because of this rebellious attitude it becomes
inevitable that you shall call upon me and fail to receive an answer. Having
rejected the way of life, you may seek me diligently in your times of
suffering, but you will not find me."

5. They who would receive mercy must show mercy; judge not that you be not
judged. With the spirit with which you judge others you also shall be judged.
Mercy does not wholly abrogate universe fairness. In the end it will prove
true: "Whoso stops his ears to the cry of the poor, he also shall some day cry
for help, and no one will hear him." The sincerity of any prayer is the
assurance of its being heard; the spiritual wisdom and universe consistency of
any petition is the determiner of the time, manner, and degree of the answer. A
wise father does not literally answer the foolish prayers of his ignorant and
inexperienced children, albeit the children may derive much pleasure and real
soul satisfaction from the making of such absurd petitions.

6. When you have become wholly dedicated to the doing of the will of the Father
in heaven, the answer to all your petitions will be forthcoming because your
prayers will be in full accordance with the Father's will, and the Father's
will is ever manifest throughout his vast universe. What the true son desires
and the infinite Father wills IS. Such a prayer cannot remain unanswered, and
no other sort of petition can possibly be fully answered.

7. The cry of the righteous is the faith act of the child of God which opens
the door of the Father's storehouse of goodness, truth, and mercy, and these
good gifts have long been in waiting for the son's approach and personal
appropriation. Prayer does not change the divine attitude toward man, but it
does change man's attitude toward the changeless Father. The motive of the
prayer gives it right of way to the divine ear, not the social, economic, or
outward religious status of the one who prays.

8. Prayer may not be employed to avoid the delays of time or to transcend the
handicaps of space. Prayer is not designed as a technique for aggrandizing self
or for gaining unfair advantage over one's fellows. A thoroughly selfish soul
cannot pray in the true sense of the word. Said Jesus: "Let your supreme
delight be in the character of God, and he shall surely give you the sincere
desires of your heart." "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will
act." "For the Lord hears the cry of the needy, and he will regard the prayer
of the destitute."

9. "I have come forth from the Father; if, therefore, you are ever in doubt as
to what you would ask of the Father, ask in my name, and I will present your
petition in accordance with your real needs and desires and in accordance with
my Father's will." Guard against the great danger of becoming self-centered in
your prayers. Avoid praying much for yourself; pray more for the spiritual
progress of your brethren. Avoid materialistic praying; pray in the spirit and
for the abundance of the gifts of the spirit.

10. When you pray for the sick and afflicted, do not expect that your petitions
will take the place of loving and intelligent ministry to the necessities of
these afflicted ones. Pray for the welfare of your families, friends, and
fellows,

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but especially pray for those who curse you, and make loving petitions for
those who persecute you. "But when to pray, I will not say. Only the spirit
that dwells within you may move you to the utterance of those petitions which
are expressive of your inner relationship with the Father of spirits."

11. Many resort to prayer only when in trouble. Such a practice is thoughtless
and misleading. True, you do well to pray when harassed, but you should also be
mindful to speak as a son to your Father even when all goes well with your
soul. Let your real petitions always be in secret. Do not let men hear your
personal prayers. Prayers of thanksgiving are appropriate for groups of
worshipers, but the prayer of the soul is a personal matter. There is but one
form of prayer which is appropriate for all God's children, and that is:
"Nevertheless, your will be done."

12. All believers in this gospel should pray sincerely for the extension of the
kingdom of heaven. Of all the prayers of the Hebrew scriptures he commented
most approvingly on the petition of the Psalmist: "Create in me a clean heart,
O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Purge me from secret sins and keep
back your servant from presumptuous transgression." Jesus commented at great
length on the relation of prayer to careless and offending speech, quoting:
"Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." "The human
tongue," said Jesus, "is a member which few men can tame, but the spirit within
can transform this unruly member into a kindly voice of tolerance and an
inspiring minister of mercy."

13. Jesus taught that the prayer for divine guidance over the pathway of
earthly life was next in importance to the petition for a knowledge of the
Father's will. In reality this means a prayer for divine wisdom. Jesus never
taught that human knowledge and special skill could be gained by prayer. But he
did teach that prayer is a factor in the enlargement of one's capacity to
receive the presence of the divine spirit. When Jesus taught his associates to
pray in the spirit and in truth, he explained that he referred to praying
sincerely and in accordance with one's enlightenment, to praying wholeheartedly
and intelligently, earnestly and steadfastly.

14. Jesus warned his followers against thinking that their prayers would be
rendered more efficacious by ornate repetitions, eloquent phraseology, fasting,
penance, or sacrifices. But he did exhort his believers to employ prayer as a
means of leading up through thanksgiving to true worship. Jesus deplored that
so little of the spirit of thanksgiving was to be found in the prayers and
worship of his followers. He quoted from the Scriptures on this occasion,
saying: "It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to
the name of the Most High, to acknowledge his loving-kindness every morning and
his faithfulness every night, for God has made me glad through his work. In
everything I will give thanks according to the will of God."

15. And then Jesus said: "Be not constantly overanxious about your common
needs. Be not apprehensive concerning the problems of your earthly existence,
but in all these things by prayer and supplication, with the spirit of sincere
thanksgiving, let your needs be spread out before your Father who is in
heaven." Then he quoted from the Scriptures: "I will praise the name of God
with a song and will magnify him with thanksgiving. And this will please the
Lord better than the sacrifice of an ox or bullock with horns and hoofs."

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16. Jesus taught his followers that, when they had made their prayers to the
Father, they should remain for a time in silent receptivity to afford the
indwelling spirit the better opportunity to speak to the listening soul. The
spirit of the Father speaks best to man when the human mind is in an attitude
of true worship. We worship God by the aid of the Father's indwelling spirit
and by the illumination of the human mind through the ministry of truth.
Worship, taught Jesus, makes one increasingly like the being who is worshiped.
Worship is a transforming experience whereby the finite gradually approaches
and ultimately attains the presence of the Infinite.

And many other truths did Jesus tell his apostles about man's communion with
God, but not many of them could fully encompass his teaching.

3. THE STOP AT RAMAH

At Ramah Jesus had the memorable discussion with the aged Greek philosopher who
taught that science and philosophy were sufficient to satisfy the needs of
human experience. Jesus listened with patience and sympathy to this Greek
teacher, allowing the truth of many things he said but pointing out that, when
he was through, he had failed in his discussion of human existence to explain
"whence, why, and whither," and added: "Where you leave off, we begin. Religion
is a revelation to man's soul dealing with spiritual realities which the mind
alone could never discover or fully fathom. Intellectual strivings may reveal
the facts of life, but the gospel of the kingdom unfolds the truths of being.
You have discussed the material shadows of truth; will you now listen while I
tell you about the eternal and spiritual realities which cast these transient
time shadows of the material facts of mortal existence?" For more than an hour
Jesus taught this Greek the saving truths of the gospel of the kingdom. The old
philosopher was susceptible to the Master's mode of approach, and being
sincerely honest of heart, he quickly believed this gospel of salvation.

The apostles were a bit disconcerted by the open manner of Jesus' assent to
many of the Greek's propositions, but Jesus afterward privately said to them:
"My children, marvel not that I was tolerant of the Greek's philosophy. True
and genuine inward certainty does not in the least fear outward analysis, nor
does truth resent honest criticism. You should never forget that intolerance is
the mask covering up the entertainment of secret doubts as to the trueness of
one's belief. No man is at any time disturbed by his neighbor's attitude when
he has perfect confidence in the truth of that which he wholeheartedly
believes. Courage is the confidence of thoroughgoing honesty about those things
which one professes to believe. Sincere men are unafraid of the critical
examination of their true convictions and noble ideals."

On the second evening at Ramah, Thomas asked Jesus this question: "Master, how
can a new believer in your teaching really know, really be certain, about the
truth of this gospel of the kingdom?"

And Jesus said to Thomas: "Your assurance that you have entered into the
kingdom family of the Father, and that you will eternally survive with the
children of the kingdom, is wholly a matter of personal experience--faith in
the word of truth. Spiritual assurance is the equivalent of your personal
religious experience in the eternal realities of divine truth and is otherwise
equal to your

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intelligent understanding of truth realities plus your spiritual faith and
minus your honest doubts.

"The Son is naturally endowed with the life of the Father. Having been endowed
with the living spirit of the Father, you are therefore sons of God. You
survive your life in the material world of the flesh because you are identified
with the Father's living spirit, the gift of eternal life. Many, indeed, had
this life before I came forth from the Father, and many more have received this
spirit because they believed my word; but I declare that, when I return to the
Father, he will send his spirit into the hearts of all men.

"While you cannot observe the divine spirit at work in your minds, there is a
practical method of discovering the degree to which you have yielded the
control of your soul powers to the teaching and guidance of this indwelling
spirit of the heavenly Father, and that is the degree of your love for your
fellow men. This spirit of the Father partakes of the love of the Father, and
as it dominates man, it unfailingly leads in the directions of divine worship
and loving regard for one's fellows. At first you believe that you are sons of
God because my teaching has made you more conscious of the inner leadings of
our Father's indwelling presence; but presently the Spirit of Truth shall be
poured out upon all flesh, and it will live among men and teach all men, even
as I now live among you and speak to you the words of truth. And this Spirit of
Truth, speaking for the spiritual endowments of your souls, will help you to
know that you are the sons of God. It will unfailingly bear witness with the
Father's indwelling presence, your spirit, then dwelling in all men as it now
dwells in some, telling you that you are in reality the sons of God.

"Every earth child who follows the leading of this spirit shall eventually know
the will of God, and he who surrenders to the will of my Father shall abide
forever. The way from the earth life to the eternal estate has not been made
plain to you, but there is a way, there always has been, and I have come to
make that way new and living. He who enters the kingdom has eternal life
already--he shall never perish. But much of this you will the better understand
when I shall have returned to the Father and you are able to view your present
experiences in retrospect."

And all who heard these blessed words were greatly cheered. The Jewish
teachings had been confused and uncertain regarding the survival of the
righteous, and it was refreshing and inspiring for Jesus' followers to hear
these very definite and positive words of assurance about the eternal survival
of all true believers.

The apostles continued to preach and baptize believers, while they kept up the
practice of visiting from house to house, comforting the downcast and
ministering to the sick and afflicted. The apostolic organization was expanded
in that each of Jesus' apostles now had one of John's as an associate; Abner
was the associate of Andrew; and this plan prevailed until they went down to
Jerusalem for the next Passover.

The special instruction given by Jesus during their stay at Zebulun had chiefly
to do with further discussions of the mutual obligations of the kingdom and
embraced teaching designed to make clear the differences between personal
religious experience and the amities of social religious obligations. This was
one of the few times the Master ever discussed the social aspects of religion.
Through-

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out his entire earth life Jesus gave his followers very little instruction
regarding the socialization of religion.

In Zebulun the people were of a mixed race, hardly Jew or gentile, and few of
them really believed in Jesus, notwithstanding they had heard of the healing of
the sick at Capernaum.

4. THE GOSPEL AT IRON

At Iron, as in many of even the smaller cities of Galilee and Judea, there was
a synagogue, and during the earlier times of Jesus' ministry it was his custom
to speak in these synagogues on the Sabbath day. Sometimes he would speak at
the morning service, and Peter or one of the other apostles would preach at the
afternoon hour. Jesus and the apostles would also often teach and preach at the
week-day evening assemblies at the synagogue. Although the religious leaders at
Jerusalem became increasingly antagonistic toward Jesus, they exercised no
direct control over the synagogues outside of that city. It was not until later
in Jesus' public ministry that they were able to create such a widespread
sentiment against him as to bring about the almost universal closing of the
synagogues to his teaching. At this time all the synagogues of Galilee and
Judea were open to him.

Iron was the site of extensive mineral mines for those days, and since Jesus
had never shared the life of the miner, he spent most of his time, while
sojourning at Iron, in the mines. While the apostles visited the homes and
preached in the public places, Jesus worked in the mines with these underground
laborers. The fame of Jesus as a healer had spread even to this remote village,
and many sick and afflicted sought help at his hands, and many were greatly
benefited by his healing ministry. But in none of these cases did the Master
perform a so-called miracle of healing save in that of the leper.

Late on the afternoon of the third day at Iron, as Jesus was returning from the
mines, he chanced to pass through a narrow side street on his way to his
lodging place. As he drew near the squalid hovel of a certain leprous man, the
afflicted one, having heard of his fame as a healer, made bold to accost him as
he passed his door, saying as he knelt before him: "Lord, if only you would,
you could make me clean. I have heard the message of your teachers, and I would
enter the kingdom if I could be made clean." And the leper spoke in this way
because among the Jews lepers were forbidden even to attend the synagogue or
otherwise engage in public worship. This man really believed that he could not
be received into the coming kingdom unless he could find a cure for his
leprosy. And when Jesus saw him in his affliction and heard his words of
clinging faith, his human heart was touched, and the divine mind was moved with
compassion. As Jesus looked upon him, the man fell upon his face and worshiped.
Then the Master stretched forth his hand and, touching him, said: "I will--be
clean." And immediately he was healed; the leprosy no longer afflicted him.

When Jesus had lifted the man upon his feet, he charged him: "See that you tell
no man about your healing but rather go quietly about your business, showing
yourself to the priest and offering those sacrifices commanded by Moses in
testimony of your cleansing." But this man did not do as Jesus had instructed
him. Instead, he began to publish abroad throughout the town that Jesus had
cured his leprosy, and since he was known to all the village, the people could
plainly see that he had been cleansed of his disease. He did not go to the
priests

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as Jesus had admonished him. As a result of his spreading abroad the news that
Jesus had healed him, the Master was so thronged by the sick that he was forced
to rise early the next day and leave the village. Although Jesus did not again
enter the town, he remained two days in the outskirts near the mines,
continuing to instruct the believing miners further regarding the gospel of the
kingdom.

This cleansing of the leper was the first so-called miracle which Jesus had
intentionally and deliberately performed up to this time. And this was a case
of real leprosy.

From Iron they went to Gischala, spending two days proclaiming the gospel, and
then departed for Chorazin, where they spent almost a week preaching the good
news; but they were unable to win many believers for the kingdom in Chorazin.
In no place where Jesus had taught had he met with such a general rejection of
his message. The sojourn at Chorazin was very depressing to most of the
apostles, and Andrew and Abner had much difficulty in upholding the courage of
their associates. And so, passing quietly through Capernaum, they went on to
the village of Madon, where they fared little better. There prevailed in the
minds of most of the apostles the idea that their failure to meet with success
in these towns so recently visited was due to Jesus' insistence that they
refrain, in their teaching and preaching, from referring to him as a healer.
How they wished he would cleanse another leper or in some other manner so
manifest his power as to attract the attention of the people! But the Master
was unmoved by their earnest urging.

5. BACK IN CANA

The apostolic party was greatly cheered when Jesus announced, "Tomorrow we go
to Cana." They knew they would have a sympathetic hearing at Cana, for Jesus
was well known there. They were doing well with their work of bringing people
into the kingdom when, on the third day, there arrived in Cana a certain
prominent citizen of Capernaum, Titus, who was a partial believer, and whose
son was critically ill. He heard that Jesus was at Cana; so he hastened over to
see him. The believers at Capernaum thought Jesus could heal any sickness.

When this nobleman had located Jesus in Cana, he besought him to hurry over to
Capernaum and heal his afflicted son. While the apostles stood by in breathless
expectancy, Jesus, looking at the father of the sick boy, said: "How long shall
I bear with you? The power of God is in your midst, but except you see signs
and behold wonders, you refuse to believe." But the nobleman pleaded with
Jesus, saying: "My Lord, I do believe, but come ere my child perishes, for when
I left him he was even then at the point of death." And when Jesus had bowed
his head a moment in silent meditation, he suddenly spoke, "Return to your
home; your son will live." Titus believed the word of Jesus and hastened back
to Capernaum. And as he was returning, his servants came out to meet him,
saying, "Rejoice, for your son is improved--he lives." Then Titus inquired of
them at what hour the boy began to mend, and when the servants answered
"yesterday about the seventh hour the fever left him," the father recalled that
it was about that hour when Jesus had said, "Your son will live." And Titus
henceforth believed with a whole heart, and all his family also believed. This
son became a mighty minister of the kingdom and later yielded up his life with
those who suffered in Rome. Though the entire household of Titus, their
friends, and even the apostles regarded this episode as a miracle, it was not.
At least this

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was not a miracle of curing physical disease. It was merely a case of
preknowledge concerning the course of natural law, just such knowledge as Jesus
frequently resorted to subsequent to his baptism.

Again was Jesus compelled to hasten away from Cana because of the undue
attention attracted by the second episode of this sort to attend his ministry
in this village. The townspeople remembered the water and the wine, and now
that he was supposed to have healed the nobleman's son at so great a distance,
they came to him, not only bringing the sick and afflicted but also sending
messengers requesting that he heal sufferers at a distance. And when Jesus saw
that the whole countryside was aroused, he said, "Let us go to Nain."

6. NAIN AND THE WIDOW'S SON

These people believed in signs; they were a wonder-seeking generation. By this
time the people of central and southern Galilee had become miracle minded
regarding Jesus and his personal ministry. Scores, hundreds, of honest persons
suffering from purely nervous disorders and afflicted with emotional
disturbances came into Jesus' presence and then returned home to their friends
announcing that Jesus had healed them. And such cases of mental healing these
ignorant and simple-minded people regarded as physical healing, miraculous
cures.

When Jesus sought to leave Cana and go to Nain, a great multitude of believers
and many curious people followed after him. They were bent on beholding
miracles and wonders, and they were not to be disappointed. As Jesus and his
apostles drew near the gate of the city, they met a funeral procession on its
way to the near-by cemetery, carrying the only son of a widowed mother of Nain.
This woman was much respected, and half of the village followed the bearers of
the bier of this supposedly dead boy. When the funeral procession had come up
to Jesus and his followers, the widow and her friends recognized the Master and
besought him to bring the son back to life. Their miracle expectancy was
aroused to such a high pitch they thought Jesus could cure any human disease,
and why could not such a healer even raise the dead? Jesus, while being thus
importuned, stepped forward and, raising the covering of the bier, examined the
boy. Discovering that the young man was not really dead, he perceived the
tragedy which his presence could avert; so, turning to the mother, he said:
"Weep not. Your son is not dead; he sleeps. He will be restored to you." And
then, taking the young man by the hand, he said, "Awake and arise." And the
youth who was supposed to be dead presently sat up and began to speak, and
Jesus sent them back to their homes.

Jesus endeavored to calm the multitude and vainly tried to explain that the lad
was not really dead, that he had not brought him back from the grave, but it
was useless. The multitude which followed him, and the whole village of Nain,
were aroused to the highest pitch of emotional frenzy. Fear seized many, panic
others, while still others fell to praying and wailing over their sins. And it
was not until long after nightfall that the clamoring multitude could be
dispersed. And, of course, notwithstanding Jesus' statement that the boy was
not dead, everyone insisted that a miracle had been wrought, even the dead
raised. Although Jesus told them the boy was merely in a deep sleep, they
explained that that was the manner of his speaking and called attention to the
fact that he always in great modesty tried to hide his miracles.

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So the word went abroad throughout Galilee and into Judea that Jesus had raised
the widow's son from the dead, and many who heard this report believed it.
Never was Jesus able to make even all his apostles fully understand that the
widow's son was not really dead when he bade him awake and arise. But he did
impress them sufficiently to keep it out of all subsequent records except that
of Luke, who recorded it as the episode had been related to him. And again was
Jesus so besieged as a physician that he departed early the next day for Endor.

7. AT ENDOR

At Endor Jesus escaped for a few days from the clamoring multitudes in quest of
physical healing. During their sojourn at this place the Master recounted for
the instruction of the apostles the story of King Saul and the witch of Endor.
Jesus plainly told his apostles that the stray and rebellious midwayers who had
oftentimes impersonated the supposed spirits of the dead would soon be brought
under control so that they could no more do these strange things. He told his
followers that, after he returned to the Father, and after they had poured out
their spirit upon all flesh, no more could such semispirit beings--so-called
unclean spirits--possess the feeble- and evil-minded among mortals.

Jesus further explained to his apostles that the spirits of departed human
beings do not come back to the world of their origin to communicate with their
living fellows. Only after the passing of a dispensational age would it be
possible for the advancing spirit of mortal man to return to earth and then
only in exceptional cases and as a part of the spiritual administration of the
planet.

When they had rested two days, Jesus said to his apostles: "On the morrow let
us return to Capernaum to tarry and teach while the countryside quiets down. At
home they will have by this time partly recovered from this sort of
excitement."

                              top of page - 1647

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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
 of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
  Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
  Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
 Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
 The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
 The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
   In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
 Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
  Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
  Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
  Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
   Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
 To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem Tuesday Morning In The
Temple The Last Temple Discourse Tuesday Evening On Mount Olivet Wednesday, The
  Rest Day Last Day At The Camp The Last Supper The Farewell Discourse Final
Admonitions And Warnings In Gethsemane The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus Before
 The Sanhedrin Court The Trial Before Pilate Just Before The Crucifixion The
Crucifixion The Time Of The Tomb The Resurrection Morontia Appearances Of Jesus
  Appearances To The Apostles And Other Leaders Appearances In Galilee Final
 Appearances And Ascension Bestowal Of The Spirit Of Truth After Pentecost The
                                Faith Of Jesus

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